Reeve, Christopher (1952-2004), was an American actor who became famous as the comic book superhero Superman. Reeve starred in four popular motion pictures based on the character—Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), and Superman IV (1987).
Reeve was paralyzed from the neck down in a horseback riding accident in 1995. After the accident, he became a national spokesman for the disabled and worked to raise money for research on spinal-cord injuries. He also directed the cable television movie In the Gloaming (1997).
Reeve was born in New York City on Sept. 25, 1952. He graduated from Cornell University in 1974. He made his Broadway stage debut as Katharine Hepburn’s grandson in A Matter of Gravity (1976). His first motion picture was Gray Lady Down (1978). Reeve was largely unknown when he was selected to play Superman. He gained praise for the charm and humor he brought to the dual role of Superman and mild-mannered newspaper reporter Clark Kent. Reeve’s other films include Somewhere in Time (1980), Deathtrap (1982), The Bostonians (1984), Noises Off (1992), The Remains of the Day (1993), and Village of the Damned (1995). He wrote two autobiographies, Still Me (1998) and Nothing Is Impossible (2002). Reeve died on Oct. 10, 2004.
See also Superman .
